MIDLAND, MI — A Michigan company is helping to create the snow for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Midland-based SMI Snow Makers is involved in snowmaking and design of the Rosa Khutor Resort, the site of the alpine, snowboard, freestyle and cross country competitions. Snow Makers President Joe VanderKelen said snowmaking preparations are finished and ready for the games.

“The athletes are doing training there right now and the site looks really great,” he said.

SMI had a clean slate to design the courses because there had been no ski resort near Sochi before the Olympic games. SMI partnered with Skado, a Russian company, to bring the project to fruition.

“It was brand new,” he said. “There has never been skiing at this site before.”

About 3,000 athletes from 80 national teams are competing in the Sochi Winter Olympics held Friday, Feb. 7, to Feb. 23.

Sochi has more marginal temperatures and a more temperate climate
than past Winter Olympics host cities, VanderKelen said, so SMI designed
a powerful snowmaking system with high water capacity and more equipment to make
the snow. He said there are more than 400 snowmaking fans spaced close
together to increase the amount of snow on site.

“There’s lots of machine-made snow, but up higher… there’s some natural snow,” he said.

VanderKelen
said the ideal snow conditions vary for different competitions. Speed
events want hard snow to prevent ruts, he said, while other venues
require more pliable snow.

“We had to put together and design a
substantial snow-making system to try to do the best we could to ensure
snow for the games,” he said.

SMI has been associated with the Olympics for three decades. According to a National Geographic interview, SMI previously was involved in the 1984 Sarajevo, 1988 Calgary, 1998 Nagano, 2002 Salt Lake City and 2010 Vancouver games. VanderKelen told The Saginaw News SMI is proud of its Olympic heritage.

“We’re thrilled to be a small part of the success of the Olympics and prepare with our partners for the success of the competitions,” he said.

State Rep. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, said is glad to see a local business on a global stage.

"This is a great example of the power of Michigan business," Stamas said in a prepared statement. "SMI Snow Makers has partnerships throughout the world but has chosen to remain in our state for 40 years. It will be even more exciting to watch the Olympics knowing there is a local tie to many of the snow-based competitions."

Having attended multiple Olympics, VanderKelen said he is looking forward to watching the games with the rest of the public and rooting for Team USA.

“I’ve turned into more of a spectator now,” he said.

SMI, headquartered at 1512 Rockwell Drive in Midland, has been in business for more than 40 years. VanderKelen said SMI is excited to be involved in Olympics because the global event promotes athletic competition and world peace.

“We’re thrilled that the courses are ready, and the games are going to go on,” he said.